Twitter reactions on PBKS unbelievable comeback: The Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) produced a humdinger of a game on Tuesday evening in Mullanpur. No, this one didn’t go till the last over, and neither was it a high-scoring rubber.
What this was was something that the IPL has missed for the last couple of seasons: a low-scoring, scorching, edge-of-the-seat thriller that saw PBKS record the lowest successful total defence in IPL history, of 111, going past 116 for 9 by CSK against Punjab themselves (then Kings XI Punjab) in 2009 in Durban. And this was totally the opposite of the clash between these two teams last season at the Eden Gardens, where PBKS recorded the highest-ever successful T20 run-chase of 262.
KKR were the firm favourites to not only bag the two points but also boost their net run rate when they were 62/2 in the 7th over in the chase of a lowly target of 112.
However, then came a miraculous comeback from the Punjab Kings led by the IPL’s highest wicket-taker, Yuzvendra Chahal, who had copped plenty of criticism and scrutiny for his dismal performances in the previous games.
Chahal dismissed KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and then took out KKR’s highest scorer of the innings, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 37 runs. Then, the senior India leg-spinner toppled Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh on consecutive deliveries as PBKS stormed back into the game.
From the other end, Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh, too, made dents. Eventually, it came down to Andre Russell standing between Punjab and victory, with KKR needing 17 off 30 balls and only one wicket in hand.
On the first ball of the 16th over, Jansen bowled a hard length delivery to which Russell, by default, went for a pull shot, which he under-edged onto his stumps.
The crowd in Mullanpur erupted, while the Punjab players ran amok on the ground as Russell slumped to his knees in despair. In the stands, PBKS owner Preity Zinta was elated and jumped merrily.
Earlier, on a two-paced track, KKR halted PBKS for 111, with Harshit Rana taking three wickets and Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine recording outstanding figures of 2/21 and 2/14. However, the efforts of KKR’s bowlers went in vain as PBKS scripted one of the most famous wins in IPL history.
Fans on Twitter were left in utter disbelief at KKR’s collapse and PBKS’s strong comeback in the match.
PBKS vs KKR: Twitter reactions on PBKS unbelievable comeback win over KKR
Meanwhile, on the points table, PBKS are in the fourth spot with 8 points in 6 games.
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